Seasonal & Holidays
Chicago Police Ramp Up Security For New Year's Celebrations
More patrols will be added after a mob of teens committed crimes and attacked people over the weekend.
CHICAGO — The Chicago Police Department is stepping up patrols throughout the city for New Year's Celebrations Monday night. Police said they're prepared for thousands to flock to Navy Pier and other local celebrations, with additional officers on Mag Mile, the Near North Side and the Loop.
In a press conference Sunday, Chicago police superintendent Eddie Johnson said people can expect to see "high visibility" in the downtown area.
“You’ll see officers almost on every corner…we want people to be safe, in any part of the city,” Johnson said. “Especially during the holiday season.”
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Security checkpoints will be in place for people heading to the New Year's celebration at Navy Pier. Large backpacks and bags are highly discouraged.
Patrols will also be ramped up along the River for the new fireworks display at midnight, which will be launched near the Franklin Street, Clark Street and Wabash Avenue bridges. Fireworks will also be launched from river barges near the Hyatt Regency, 151 E. Upper Wacker Drive, and Sheraton Grand, 301 E. North Water St.
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CPD said additional security will be in place at CTA Red Line stops after a mob of teenagers attacked at least three people downtown over the weekend. About 50 teens beat two men and a woman at the Chicago station on the Near North Side, police said.
The mob has been connected to business closures and disruptions on Mag Mile, including the temporary closure of a McDonald's restaurant and store closures in Water Tower Place.
"We have numerous reports of people being struck, pushed, shoved," Alderman Hopkins told ABC 7 Chicago. "The only serious injuries that we're aware of occurred on the Red Line station. We do have indications that the activity was organized activity. It was preplanned. There was communication on social media."
CPD is currently reviewing many different surveillance videos of the mob, and Johnson said the teens will be held accountable once they are identified.
File photo by Amber Fisher/Patch staff
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